As we finish our NHL Draft Ranking, here are some Russian Prospects that we didn’t have public reports posted.
Fedor Svechkov #9 (F, L, 6’0″, 180, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, 04/05/2003) – Svechkov is a tall, skilled forward out of Ladia Togliatti who played both in the MHL and VHL this season before playing in the U18 World Junior Championships where he shined with 10 points in 7 games. He’s made great strides in his game since last season in MHL and led his team in points per game before making the jump to the VHL.
Breakdown/Analysis: Svechkov is a talented, two-way forward who shined at the U18 World Championships with his size, puck skill and balanced two-way game. He showed no real major holes in his game; he’s got decent speed, he has excellent puck control, he’s a skilled passer and puck protector and has a bullet release and can score from beyond the dots. He scored on one-timers, he scored on catch and shoot coming down the slot, he showed touch on passes and has a heady approach to change speed and curl back on rushes to create time and space for himself. He can drive wide on defenders with success or something he cut across the offensive blue line if he saw the defense was playing loose gaps and if they were gapping up he’d curl back and hit the late trailer with passes to the slot area. Svechkov has natural offensive instincts and created offense from broken plays, from the cycle, from rushes up ice and from off the wall and out of the corners. He has a nice combination of puck protection ability and poise which allows him to wait for lanes to open and not force low percentage plays. At U18 WJC he was one of the most complete prospects in the tournament; he stops on pucks, he blocks shots, he supports his defenders, he wins faceoffs, he shows a clean target on breakout, he is strong in front of both net fronts and has a sturdy stick to win puck battles. He’s physical, he’s skilled, he’s got good anticipation on the forecheck, moves well to the puck and is disruptive with his stick positioning and physical play. He may not shine in any one area but he plays the game the right way, he can play in any role which makes him more versatile at the next level and he’s shown he can play with anyone on his line and generate offense; he isn’t dependent on his wingers to get him the puck in order to make plays. He played with speedy forwards, he’s played with power forwards, he’s played with defensively responsible wingers and guys who are floating at the neutral zone so he can be plugged into any role and make the best of it. Low risk, high reward type player who will be a leader on whatever he plays on.
Projection: First Round / A-
Aleksandr Kisakov #52 (5’10”, 150, MHK Dynamo Moskva, 11/01/2002) – Kisakov is a late ‘02 who has taken his game to a whole new level this year finishing second in points in the MHL with 36 goals and 37 assists in just 61 games after just 18 total points the year before. He’s viewed anywhere from a late first rounder to a late round pick and everything in between so he’ll be someone to keep tabs on during the draft oto see where he falls.
Breakdown/Analysis: Kisakov is a slightly built center with a quick set of hands and instinctual playmaking ability. He wins faceoffs, he can separate from defenders both in tight areas and in open ice, he has great speed and elusive stickhandling to make defenders miss on the rush. He got a lot of ice time in the MHL, played on both special teams units and was dynamic playing high on the power play with vision, heady skill and a quick, accurate release. He can breakdown defenders and turn them inside out on the rush and when he has time and space on the power play he can break down the goalie, find the hole and get the puck off his stick before they can react. He has some highlight reel goals from this past season where the goalie saw him coming in the whole way unscreened and he beat them clean with his snap or wrist shot. Kisakov helped lead Dynamo to a championship this season and was not only their leading scorer but also a glue guy who could kill penalties, got in on the forecheck and lifted sticks around his net front to take away rebound chances. He needs to get stronger in order to win more puck battles in the corners and along the boards and at his current build he relies on just having quicker hands to win draws but can get tied up easily or knocked off pucks. He’s slippery and skilled, he has soft, slick hands and has a quick stick to get around defenders 1v1. In regards to NHL Draft projection he’s not an easy fit; his skill and skating ability could put him in the early to mid rounds but his slight build and lack of experience against older competition could put him in the mid to later rounds. Worth noting he had more total points and almost the same amount of goals as ‘04 phenom Matvei Michkov who turned heads at the U18 Worlds in Dallas, TX.
Projection: 2-3rd Rounder / B
Dmitri Kostenko #18 (D, R, 6’0″, 170, 09/25/2002) – Kostenko is late ‘02 defenseman out of Lada Togliatti who got 40 games in the VHL this season with 10 points. Last season he played mostly in the MHL with 20 pts in 27 games and also got 8 games in the VHL but this was his first true full season in the league.
Breakdown/Analysis: Kostenko tall, thin, mobile and athletic defenseman who plays nearly 16 minutes a game and played on both special teams units. His best attribute is his mobility and puck play; he retrieves pucks on dump-ins, has clever escape moves to shake off forecheckers and can carry it out on his own or zip passes up ice. He showed the vision and the poise to read the situation in the neutral zone and identify where the soft areas were and he had the touch and puck skill to place his passes on the tape. He went direct and indirect, he sauced and he zipped it and if there wasn’t a lane he would curl back or go D to D to buy time. Defensively he is smart positionally, he uses his long reach to disrupt and block passing and shooting lanes and he closes quickly but lacks the body strength at this point to knock opponents off pucks. He defends a lot with his stick, using that to angle opponents to the outside and lifting sticks around the net instead of trying to move bigger,stronger, older forwards. As he fills into his frame he’ll be able to bring a more physical element to his game but at this stage he relies on his footwork and stick work to keep opponents off balance. He makes good decisions at the offensive blue line and knows when to pinch, when to hold the line and extend plays and when to retreat and get back to defend against a potential odd-man rush.
Projection: Mid Rounder (3-5th Round) / B-
ilya Fedotov #10 (F, R, 6’1″, 178, 03/19/2003) – Fedotov is a skilled winger out of Chaika Nizhny of the MHL and even got 2 games in the KHL. He is a smart player who has played U16 and U18 the past two years and while he got 6 games in MHL at the end of last year this was his first season in the league and was the team’s second leading goal scorer and point producer. Not to mention he was one of the teams youngest players as well and has put himself on the NHL Draft radar.
Breakdown/Analysis: Fedotov is a tall, thin, skilled winger with great puck poise and stickhandling ability. His head is always up, he’s got a soft set of hands and clean first touches and can handle bad passes behind him and in his skates with ease. He has a strong east-west game and will skate to open ice, not as interested where that is and uses the extra time and space to create scoring chances for himself or his teammates. When he cuts in towards the net on line rushes you can see his puck handling ability at pace which is impressive as he can turn defenders inside out in mid-stride without having to slow down or think about it. His frame has plenty of room to grow into and once he has more weight and strength he’ll be able to play a heavier game and get more chances around the net. Fedotov currently has to be clever sneaking in behind defenders and beat opponents 1v1 off the walls out from behind the goal line in order to get net front positioning because he’s not strong enough yet to hold his ground at the net front. He plays high and off the wall on the power play and combines vision and skill with a finisher’s touch making him a legit dual threat power play forward. More upside than he gets credit for and while he didn’t get much opportunity outside the two KHL games to show what he can do against higher competition, he’s made the most of his opportunities.
Projection: Mid Rounder (Round 3-5th) / B-
Vladislav Lukashevich #11 (D, L, 6’2″, 160, 05/23/2003) – Lukashevich is a tall, long, thin build, athletic defender out of Loko Yaroslavl where he put up 19 points in 36 games and averaged over 17 minutes per game including time on both special teams.
Breakdown/Analysis: Lukashevich is a well-rounded prospect in that makes plays at both ends of the ice. He can quarterback a power play from the breakout to in zone with his long, fluid stride, lateral mobility and soft hands. He’s been more of a distributor at the point than a shooter but he does have smart shot selection knowing when it makes sense to let it go and when the feather a low quick wrister off the pad to shoot to screens and create rebound chances. Defensively he is light and lacks a power game but is very effective with his long reach disguising his poke and then stripping opponents of the puck and angling them towards the boards. Lukashevich isn’t as polished in his own end and gets caught puck watching or drifting out beyond the dots but he defends well against the rush playing a tight gap and getting his stick on pucks. He retrieves pucks really well for his size; he has smooth transitions, he can make quick cuts left or right and spin of forecheckers and move the puck up ice quickly or skate it out himself. He isn’t a dangler but he has a long reach and puck carrying ability to get out of jams and his head is always up ice to find a lane and once it opens the puck is off his stick. He’s a skilled puck mover both in his vision and his delivery and he makes smart puck decisions playing to the percentages and not overexposing the puck or putting it in harm’s way. Lukashevich doesn’t panic when pressured, he has great composure and will survey the ice, assess his options and move the puck to the right spot and not just the easy play. He had good keeps at the offensive blue line using his reach and his skating ability to pinch down and extend plays. He has a high range of where he’ll fall in the draft but we are more optimistic than most and believe his ceiling his high despite being a bit of a project at this point who lacks a physical dimension to his game.
Projection: 3-4th Rounder / B
Daniil Sobolev #3 (D, R, 5’10”, 155, 03/03/2003) – Sobolev is a player who was a COVID casualty signing with Windsor in the OHL after being drafted #32 overall in the import draft and then the OHL season was delayed and then ultimately cancelled. So he hasn’t seen game action in over a year but scouts will look back to what he accomplished in the MHL as a 17 year old and could garner some draft attention.
Breakdown/Analysis: Studying tape of Sobolev from the 2019-2020 season in the MHL, he was a strong, mobile, puck moving defenseman with a physical approach. He is balanced and strong on his edges, he steps up in the neutral zone to play the body and force dump-ins and is tough along the boards and net front. He has a high compete level and likes to throw his weight around in the corners and push opponents off pucks on the line rush and ride speedy forwards off the puck on net drives. He was quick to pucks on dump ins, could shake off forecheckers with one move and zip passes up ice on the tape. He isn’t overly skilled or overly agile but he can move laterally, he’s strong on his edges, closes quickly and takes away opponents time and space. Sobolev is a willing shot blocker, he’s tough to get around on the rush and out of the corners and boxes out well at the net front. His upside is questionable especially considering scouts haven’t had the chance to see him this year but his aggressive approach and toughness to compliment is mobility and edge work makes him an obvious draft consideration.
Projection: Late Round Consideration / C
Vasili Atanasov #16 (F, L, 5’10”, 147, 09/25/2002) – Atanasov is a late ‘02 undersized skilled forward who was captain of Mamonty Yugry in the MHL and posted 41 points in 56 games which was second on the team in points playing heavy minutes and significant time on both special teams units.
Breakdown/Analysis: Atanasov is a highly skilled forward who is both slippery and dynamic 1v1 with slick hands and a quick first step in every direction. He can stop on a dime, change direction and cut in on defenders at top speed. He plays a high motor, high energy game away from the puck getting back to support his defenseman and being a pest on the forecheck both even strength and on the penalty kill. He has a high pace approach and can handle the puck at top speed and make defenders miss on the rush and out of the corners. He will play the body in his own end, finish checks on the forecheck and take hits to make plays on the breakout. His best attribute is his quickness, elusivity and puck control; the puck seems to stick to his blade and he can weave in and out of traffic and make plays with vision and pace. Atanasov is crafty, smart, skilled and fearless but his size and lack of playing internationally or outside of the MHL could keep teams away from him but he’ll certainly be on our draft board.
Projection: Late Rounder (Round 5-7th) / C+
Yaroslav Busygin #91 (D, L, 6’3″, 175, 02/14/2003) – Busygin is a tall, long, mobile defenseman who signed with Brandon in the WHL but given the COVID situation stayed in Russia for his second season in the MHL where he compiled 11 points in 35 games and logged over 18 minutes per game including both special teams units. He played for Russkie Vityazi and was a top four defenseman on a young blue line for their squad.
Breakdown/Analysis: Busygin is an intriguing prospect in a tall, athletic frame at 6’3” and 175lbs who is both mobile and aggressive. He can handle the puck, he makes quick decisions and has carrying ability to skate pucks out of jams and lead rushes up the ice. He holds the blue line well with his reach and his lateral quickness, which is a rarity for his size and build, and made smart steps in the neutral zone to force dump-ins. He has more poise than he gets credit for; he spins off forecheck pressure and uses his defensive partner as a safety valve when he’s heavily pressured on the forecheck. Busygin defends with his reach and his skating ability and has deceptive backward acceleration so that he can stay tight to his man and doesn’t have to turn forward to defend and keeps his man in front of him. His first touches aren’t great as some hard passes bounce off his stick but he doesn’t settle it and he can snap passes off when pressured or use his touch and puck skill for the difficult, short area passes. Defensively he’s not the most physical or toughest guy to play against but his gap control, his skating ability and smothering style was hard for opponents on 1v1 to get inside positioning or get to the net and he was able to get to pucks quickly in the corners with his deceptive speed and long reach to fish out pucks. He can pick pucks clean off the wall and move it up ice in one motion. He also was excellent all season on the penalty kill using his reach to block lanes, intercept passes and clear pucks out of his end and was particularly effective lifting stick around the net and picking up the backdoor. The knock for Busygin is that he doesn’t have a true identity in his game and his simplified style of play with the puck may be a result of not seeing it and not having pro level hockey sense which would severely hurt his upside. Busygin also has not played at the VHL or KHL level so he’s unproved against higher level competition but he’s slated to go to Brandon and that’ll be his first real test. We’ll have him higher than many others because we think he has a high ceiling and can improve in the areas he needs to in terms of defensive zone discipline, stick positioning and adopting a more physical/heavier style of play.
Projection: Mid to Late Round (Rounds 4-6) / B-
Nikita Grebyonkin #17 (F, L, 6’2″, 180, 02/05/2003) – Grebyonkin is an MHL rookie who finished second on his team in points with 34 in 54 games. Is has a tall, athletic frame at 6’2”, 175lbs which he can grow into over time and looks primed for the next level.
Breakdown/Analysis: Grebyonkin is a polished skating forward with speed, agility and first step quickness. HIs feet are always moving so he’s always around the puck and he can pressure defenders on the forechefck into rushing passes and turning pucks over. He’s not physical at this point and turns away instead of finishing a lot of his checks but he’s quick and can get back in support in his own end before the opponent gets set in-one. Stalnye Lisy (MHL) has him at the point on the power play where he showed his high level hockey sense and vision and ability to survey the ice, make smart reads and put the puck wherever he wants in the offensive zone. He doesn’t try and make homerun plays or overexpose the puck and he has great anticipation skill and knows where he’s going with the puck before he gets it. Smart, crafty and skilled with the puck on his stick who can slow it down and pick defenders apart or push the pace and use his speed and quickness to knock defenders back and create space on the rush. He has plenty of length to add additional weight without impacting his mobility and that points an even greater ceiling and therefore we have him firmly in the late-middle of our NHL Draft board.
Projection: Mid to Late Round (Rounds 4-6) / B-
Danil Grigoryev #15 (F, L, 6’5″, 200, 04/02/2004) – Grigoryev is a 6’5” centerman out of Irbis Kazan in the MHL who is coming off a 27 point in season in 54 games. He was a bit quiet during the playoff run but he’s gone from a depth forward to playing over 16 minutes a night, taking over net front responsibilities on the power play and being one of the teams best penalty killers while finishing second on the team in points.
Breakdown/Analysis: Grigoryev is a tall, rangy, honest, 200ft centerman who wins a high percentage of faceoffs and defends as well as he creates. He’s an excellent penalty killer because of his length, his reach and skating ability. He isn’t a burner or even a polished skater but he gets around the ice well for his size, he can win puck battles as a result of his reach and and body strength and has a strong net front presence. He played net front on the power play this season and learned how to create small pockets for himself and if you watch earlier tape he’s smothering the goalie waiting for the puck to come to him and later season tape shows a player who is working to get open, has stick presenting a target and getting some space between him and the goalie to have time to catch and shoot it. He played on a line with speedy wingers so he was used to play the F3 role, reading the play and making the right steps on the forecheck and filling lanes on the line rush. Grigoryev’s puck play is solid but not outstanding but he drives the net with authority and can finish either off rebounds or loose pucks or one-touch plays on 2v1s and 3v2s. At this point it’d be hard to project him much beyond a potential bottom six forward who can kill penalties and win draws at the next level but if you take into account his size and his skill set he brings some rare value that is tough to find in this draft. Defensively disciplined, 200ft game who wins pucks and plays the right way.
Projection: Late Round Consideration / C+
Vladimir Sychev #44 (F, R, 5’10”, 180, 03/17/2003) – Sychyov is coming off a season where he only played 9 games after a promising rookie year in the MHL the year prior and being chosen to represent U17 Team Russia in international play.
Breakdown/Analysis: Sychev could be put in a similar category to many CHL prospects in Canada who either had no season at all or only a brief one after a strong rookie campaign the year prior. He can play center or wing, he’s good at pressuring the puck taking the right angles and stick placement to make it difficult on defenders to move the puck. He can win draws, he defends well in his own end particular around the net front and opponents trying to walk out of the corner or from behind the net. He has strong edges and balance which allows him to make plays in traffic and work the cycle game low. He’s not overly dynamic nor is he a creative playmaker type but he’s direct, he goes to the net, he’ll take a hit to make a play and can get off checks. Sychev has zip on his passes, he works hard in all three-zones and displays a strong stick along the wall to win stick battles and 50/50 pucks on the perimeter.
Projection: Late Round Consideration / C+
Dmitri Zugan #93 (F, L, 5’10”, 185, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, 11/23/2002) – Zugan is in his second year in the MHL with Krasnaya Armiya Moskva and has quadrupled his point totals from the year before while still continuing to be a plus player. A natural centerman who thrives on the powerplay but was used in all situations this year and logged over 17 mins per game.
Breakdown/Analysis: Other than his playoff stretch, Zugan had an impressive sophomore campaign in the MHL and looks ready for the next level. He’s a strong, balanced skater with smooth set of hands and excellent vision and creativity. He sees the whole sheet and can breakdown defensive coverages instantly knowing where to attack them on the rush and where the open or soft areas will be. He’s tactful, he’s skilled and has the combination of eluisvity and balance to make plays in traffic and contested areas. He shines on the power play where he has time and space and plays up high and off the wall and there is where his vision and passing ability are most on display. He has a quick release and can score from beyond the dots and shoots to score with his head up reading the goalie. One area that stands out in his game is his defensive awareness and details; he has been among the highest on his team the past two year in plus/minus but more than the stats is his body positioning, stick positioning, pursuit angles and willingness to take hits, block shots, clog lanes and close gaps. He’s diligent, he has a strong net front game keeping his head on a swivel and picking up traffic around the net, he’s excellent at lifting sticks and using his edges to drive opponents away from the scoring areas and he has a good stick to intercept and breakup passes to the slot area. All-around, detailed centerman who brings a lot more to the game than just his offense; he kills penalties, he defends in zone and a quality forechecker.
Projection: Mid to Late Rounds (4-6th Round) / B-
Daniil Lazutin #8 (F, L, 6’2″, 174, 07/25/2003) – Lazutin is a tall centerman who is a bit of a hard read; he is coming off a pedestrian MHL season with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg but he has always shown well in international play especially last year at the U17 World Hockey Championships and followed it up with another strong performance this year in Dallas,TX at the U18 World Hockey Championships.
Breakdown/Analysis: Lazutin is a tough read; after his success last season and his size and skill set one would assume a big year in the MHL but that wasn’t the case. Then he goes to U18 Worlds and has somewhat of a quiet start and then his best game is in the semi-finals series against Finland where he had a goal and an assist. His skill set is better than his stats; he’s 6’2”, he has decent speed and balance, he’s got an excellent release on both his snap shot and backhand and has deceptive skill. In the semi-final game against Finland he scored a highlight reel backhand goal but maybe more impressive was that on the zone entry he caught a pass that was too far in front of him by extending with one hand and accepting it cleanly on the backhand; yes one handed backhand; without losing a stride. He is both strong on the puck and skilled with his possessions and he has the ability to drive the net and make clever plays in tight like he did later that same game with a cross slot assist on a loose puck where his other teammate was trying to jam in a rebound. He is also tough to beat on draws; he has both quick and sturdy hands and can tie up and kick out loose pucks to his teammates at the faceoff dot. Lazutin has the skill, the protection ability and the release to be an offensive threat like he was in the later games of the World Championships but his season with St. Petersburg is a bit of a quandary and will likely limit his draft stock. At times he looked disinterested so we are putting more of our evaluation based on what we saw live in Texas at world championships and believe he’ll go higher than people think because the upside is certainly there and looks better built for the North American game.
Projection: Mid Rounder (3-5th Round) / B
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/ Hickling Images